NICK Fry believes the Honda-backed Super Aguri team have a "better than evens" chance of being on the Formula One grid next season - but Englishman Anthony Davidson is unlikely to be behind the wheel.

Fry, in his role as Honda team principal, was involved in ex-grand prix driver Aguri Suzuki's plans to enter the sport in 2006.

Suzuki's initial entry was rejected by world governing body the FIA but he is expected to apply again, when he will require unanimous approval from rival teams to take to the grid in Bahrain.

Honda will supply engines, and are believed to be part-funding the project, and Fry expects to see approval given for an 11th team.

He said: "I think it will be good for Formula One to have an extra team. They'll have a good engine - the same engine as our Honda team. They've got a lot of work to do but they are progressing well from what we can see.

"I think there is a better than evens chance they will be on the grid, which I think will be great.

"There are three months to go and all 10 teams have got to sign up so there's an issue there. In terms of physically being able to get on the grid, I think they've got a good chance."

If they do make it to the grid, becoming the first all-new team to join since Toyota in 2002, Davidson looks unlikely to be among their drivers.

Opportunity

Takuma Sato is expected to join but former BAR team-mate Davidson, who is believed to be on Suzuki's shortlist, seems likely to turn down the opportunity in order to stay as Honda test driver.

Fry added: "We are hoping he's going to be our third driver. I think the combination of Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello and Anthony will be absolutely top line.

"Clearly we have got an obligation to allow Anthony to race if someone else offers him a race drive. We hope very much he stays with us, he will learn a lot from Jenson and Rubens. Our baseline assumption is he will be our third driver."

Super Aguri also look certain to start next season with updated versions of the 2002 Arrows cars, providing they are allowed to compete.

Suzuki is in talks with Paul Stoddart over the sale of the cars, which the Australian acquired during his time as Minardi owner.

Such a move would ensure they comply with the Concorde Agreement, the secret document which governs the sport and insists teams cannot buy chassis from rivals.

That scuppered a plan to run customer BAR chassis and Fry warned Scuderia Toro Rosso that they must too abandon any thoughts of using Red Bull Racing cars next year.

"There will be an expectation from us and the other teams that they abide by the Concorde Agreement," he said.

"They are the rules and they apply to everyone. We and others will expect them to comply with the rules."